Fire-escape



F. M. POTTER.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION .FILED JUNE 9.1911.

Patented Oct. 1 1, 1919.

I NVENTOR. E M F17 T TEE FRANK MERLAND POTTER, OF SIOUX CITY, IOWA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 14, 1919.

Application filed June 9, 1917. Serial No. 173,755.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK MERLAND Po'r- TnR, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Sioux City, in the county of VVoodbury andState of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to fireescapes and more particularly tofire-escapes embodying inclined slides.

The invention has for its primary object the production of an improvedtubular fireescape.

Another object of the invention is the production of a tubularfire-escape embodying certain novel features of construction adapting itto be readily and safely entered, and otherwise particularly adapting itfor use on school buildings, hotels, and other public buildings.

A further object of the invention is the production of an improvedtubular fireescape adapted to rapidly convey persons from a buildingwithout danger of falling, .or danger from flames.

Still another object of the invention resides in the production of atubular fireescape embodying certain novel features of constructionadapting it to be easily installed.

With these and other objects in view, the invention I consisting in theconstruction, combination and novel arrangement of parts will be fullyunderstood from the following description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this application and inwhich like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in bothviews, of which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a building wall, equipped with thedevice of my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the mouth, or entrance of the chute.

Referring, now, to the illustration, 3 is the chute, mounted in aninclined position on,

- and substantially in parallelism with the building wall. The tube issecured to the wall, preferably by means of bands, 4, inclosiug the tubeand embedded in the wall.

The tube preferably consists of eylindrical sheetanet-al tubularsections,-5, the ends of opening, 9, in the building. The lower part ofa window may be used, the wall below the window being cut away down tothe floor. Into the opening,'a frame 10, is fitted, and to this framethe four sides of the entrance are secured. The mouth of the entrance elbow is quite taller than the diameter of the end thereof adjoining thetube, the mouth being approximately the height of an average person. Thetop wall of the elbow, however, is declined abruptly from the top of themouth to the tube, rendering it almost impossible for a person to fallaccidentally into the chute, yet conveniently ertered, feet first, thebottom of the mouth being substantially flush with the floor and ahorizontal bar, 11, being extended across the 'upper portion. of themouth, which refugees can conviently grasp to lift their weight fromtheir feet in entering.

The fact that the escape is so easy and safe to enter, makes it possiblefor a great crowd to be conveyed from the building in a remarkably shorttime.

The outlet consists of a horizontal tubular section, 12, formed with anelbow, 13, communicating with the chute. The outlet is mounted upon asuitable base, as the block, 14, having rods, 15, embedded therein, bentover to inclose the tube and bolted together, as at 16. The verticaldiameter of the outlet is suificient to permit the passage of a personin sitting posture, and the bottom of the outlet is preferably slightlyinclined from the chute as at 17 to check the speed of the refugees andcause them to alight from the tube on their feet.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

A fire-escape for a building having a wall opening, comprising a tubularchute adapted to be inclined and supported substantially in parallelismwith the wall, and an entrance consisting of an elbow on the chute andhav- 5 htnntially flush with the floor,

ing a mouth znlaptwl "Lo incloso tho opening, the mouth oi? the elbowlining relatively 'mlloi' than the eml thereof adjoining the chute, thebottom of tho mouth being subnnd the top wall of tho elbow making anacute angle to hlmhhood the wall of the building to lessen of accidentalfalling into rho mum and, a horizontal bar (ixtunlcnl across the upperportion of the. month.

In testimony whereof I have horounto sot my hand this 31 (lay of May,1917.

F. MERLAND POTTER.

